Knife mounting for machines



June 25, 1935. w. MARKERT KNIFE MOUNTING FOR MACHINES Filed NOV. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 25, 1935. w, MARKERT 2,006,106

KNIFE MOUNTING FOR MACHINES Filed Nov. 25, 1953 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

L e/MW Liza/fer y "f 'Patenteci June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNIFE MOUNTING FOR MACHINES Application November 23, 1988, Serial No. 699,457 In Germany August 24, 1933 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for shredding tobacco or the like, in which two interengaging sets of rotating scraping knives work together and disc rings are provided as distance pieces between two adjacent cutting discs on the shaft carrying the set of cutting discs. In such machines it is known to press the cutting discs of the two sets together at the place where they meet by means of pressure rollers which exert an axial pressure. In order that a clean cut may be obtained and also that the cuttingdiscs should function properly, it is necessary for them to be adjusted exactly. The cutting discs are drawn together axially with the distance pieces on the shaft. For this purpose the cutting discs, whose adjustment is fixed by the pressure rollers, are drawn together with the distance pieces on the knife shaft. Even when the cutting discs and the distance pieces are accurately worked, experience has shown that, in consequence of the number of the discs and rings, it is impossible to avoid inexactitudes the result of which is that when the set is drawn together the position of the cutting discs on the shaft no longer agrees exactly to the adjustment at the place of cutting.

According to this invention the distance pieces arranged between the individual cutting discs are designed to be flexible in an axial direction so that the drawing together of the cutting discs and the distance pieces on their axle can be suited exactly to the distance produced at the place fixed by the pressure rollers. This conditionis maintained also when displacement stresses occfir owing to particles of the cut material having become wedged in.

If, with this form of construction, the set is drawn together on the knife shaft by axial pressure, the cutting discs which, so to speak, are clamped at the cutting position by the pressure rollers, can be adjusted exactly on the knife shaft, and any inexactitudes are compensated by the flexible intermediate members. Thus a really satisfactory operation of the cutters can be ensured.

It is known to place on the annular disc-shaped distances pieces, eccentric ring discs for the purpose of ejecting the cut material from the gap between each two adjacent cutting discs. The applicant has proposed elsewhere to make these ejector rings circular but to give them a considerably greater internal diameter than the distance discs: consequently these rings are disposed loosely on the distance ring discs.

While maintaining this form of construction of the ejector rings, the distance pieces may consist. of tensioned rings with staggered teeth with which the aforesaid ejector rings, which are provided with corresponding internal teeth, engage.

The staggering of the teeth of the annular 5 distance discs provides the necessary axial flexibility, and on the other hand ensures that the ejector rings are carried'round with them, which is particularly advantageous for a good ejection of the cut material from between two adjacent l0 cutting discs.

The cutting discs are secured against displacement on the knife shaft by keys or by wedge action, but must be capable of being freely thrust on axially, and therefore there must be a cerl5 tain clearance between the two discs and the shaft. The moment the correct adjustment of the set of cutting discs has taken place, this clearance has no useful function in respect of the continued maintenance of the correct position of the cutting discs. Therefore, according to this invention, radially disposed and axially arranged pressure members are let into the knife shaft, these pressure members being forced outwards by adjustable means provided in the longltudinal bore of the shaft, in order to secure the cutting discs and intermediate members mounted on the shaft.

Many suitable means of this kind for forcing members radially apart are known in industry, and are employed, for example, in free wheel mechanisms.

A plurality of series of pressure members are preferably distributed uniformly over the periphery of the knife shaft, the individual members of one series being offset relatively to the members of an adjacent series, both axially and peripherally. By this means each cutting disc is simultaneously fixed by a plurality of pressure members, that is to say at least three, so that a 40 cutting disc is really firmly mounted after having been correctly adjusted on the knife shaft.

A suitable pressure device consists in the provision, in the central longitudinally directed bore of the knife shaft, of consecutively disposed wedge-shaped members which have between them annular concave spaces for accommodating balls, in which arrangement the balls, when the wedge members are brought close together, are pressed radially against one another and thereby tend te press out the pressure members located in their range.

One form of construction of the apparatus is shown inthe annexed drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section along the line II of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in horizontal section.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one knife shaft on an enlarged scale.

There are two knife shafts l and 2 mounted respectively in bearings 3 and 4 and 5 and 8, and are driven in the usual manner. The bearings 36 are provided on the machine frame G.

On the shaft 2 there is mounted a set of cutting discs I which are secured against displacement by the key 8. Between each two adjacent cutting discs is disposed an annular disc 9 which serves as a distance piece. The entire set is drawn togetherbetween the nuts I0 and the abutment discs H.

On the shaft I there is likewise provided a set of cutting discs 1. The shafts l and 2 are so disposed that the cutting discs of the two sets meet at 0:, that is to say at the cutting position, and overlap one another. At this position the cutting discs are engaged axially by the known axial pres ure rollers I2; here they are, so to speak, clamped, naturally without their being prevented from turning. Moreover, the cutting discs I mounted on the knife shaft I can be adjusted according to the clamping effect. Between each of them is disposed an annular distance disc 9. These annular discs are provided with an outer toothed member I3 (see particularly Figs. 3 and 4), and each second tooth is staggeredand axially offset relatively to an adjacent one. This staggering provides a certain flexibility which, when the entire set of cutting discs and distance rings are drawn together on the shaft I, renders it possible for any small inexactitudes to be compensated by means of the adjusting ring I 4 and the nuts I5, in such manner that the cutting discs I retain their exact position according to the clamping effect produced by the pressure rollers I2.

As can be seen from Figs. 3 and 4 each cutting disc I is firmly connected with its appropriate distance ring 9 by means of rivets IS.

The outer toothed member I3 of the armular distance discs 9 meshes with an inner toothed member l1 of ejector rings I8. The internal diameter of these rings is greater than the internal diameter of the annular distance members 9; thus they join loosely in the rotary movement and thereby take with them the cut material located between the adjacent cutting discs I and remove it from the discs, as, in consequence of their eccentric position, they gradually project beyond the periphery of the discs I which rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows (see Fig. 1). The chain lines in Fig. 1 indicate the course of the cut material.

As can be seen from Figs. 2 and 5, the shaft I is provided with a. central longitudinally directed bore IS, in which are serially arranged wedgeshaped members 20, which consist of cylindrical members which at one end merge into a truncated cone 2 I. In the annular concave space between two serially disposed wedge-shaped members 20 there are provided the balls 22. If the wedge-shaped members are thrust towards one another in an axial direction by the screw 23 which ends in a pin 24 which rests against a pressure ball 25, the balls 22 are driven apart by the truncated cones 2 I.

,In Fig. 2 the balls are shown in the position they assume when they are thrust apart.

When thrust apart, the balls rest against a slotted tube 21 which is inserted in the bore l9, whereby the said split tube is widened and pressure members 25, which are radially disposed but whose surfaces are arranged axially, are thrust outwards.

The pressure members 26 form a plurality of axial rows. The individual members of each axial series are axially offset relatively to the members of another series, as shown in Fig. 2. Further, the axial series are relatively offset peripherally, as shown in Fig. 5.

When the screw 23 is tightened, the pressure members are moved outwards slightly beyond the periphery of the shaft l, and thereby fix the cutting discs 'I- in an adjusted position on the shaft and also their appropriate distance rings 9. This involves only a. very slight radial displacement which has merely to bridge the small clearance which is necessarily present in order to allow the cutting discs I to rest freely on the shaft I.

Mention should also be made of guide rollers 28, which are pivotally mounted on bolts 29 and ensure that the ejector rings I8 maintain the correct position.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim:

1. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a series of intermeshing cutting disks, flexible spacing disks located between said cutting disks, said spacing disks being provided with gear teeth, ejector rings loosely mounted upon said spacing disks and internal teeth provided upon said ejector rings meshing with the teeth upon said spacing disks.

2. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a. series of intermeshing cutting disks, spacing disks located between said cutting disks, said spacing disks being provided with teeth and ejector rings having teeth cooperating with the teeth upon said spacing disks to secure rotation of said ejector rings.

3. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a series of intermeshing cutting disks, spacing means located between said cutting disks, said spacing means having a toothed periphery, certain of the teeth thereof being offset so as to provide a flexible portion and ejector rings having toothed internal peripheries cooperating with said toothed portion upon said spacing means.

4. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said shaft, spacing means located between said cutting disks, a series of radially movable members positioned in said shaft and means for actuating said members in order to lock said cutting disks and spacing means to said shaft.

5. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said shaft, spacing means located between said cutting disks, a. series of axially offset radially movable members in said-shaft and means for actuating said members to lock said cutting disks and spacing means to said shaft.

6. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks positioned upon said shaft, spacing means located between said cutting disks, a plurality of axially offset and peripherally staggered movable memamm 7. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said shaft, spacing members located between said cutting disks, a second shaft, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said second shaft intermeshlng with the cutting disks upon said first shaft, means for urging the intermeshing portions of said intermeshing cutting disks into close contact, a series of radially movable members located in said first shaft and means for actuating said radially movable members so as to lock the cutting disks and spacing members upon said first shaft.

8. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprising a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said shaft, flexible spacing means located between said cutting disks, asecond shaft, a plurality of cutting disks carried by said second shaft intermeshing with the cutting disks upon said first shaft, means urging the intermeshing portions of said cutting disks together, a plurality of radially and axially offset members movably positioned in said first shaft and means for actuating said members for locking the cutting disks and spacing means upon said first shaft.

9. A cutting mechanism for shredding tobacco or the like comprislng a shaft having a longitudinal bore therein, a plurality of cutting disks mounted upon said shaft, flexiblespacing means located between said cutting disks, 9. second shaft, a plurality of cutting disks carried by said second shaft intermeshing with the cutting disks upon said first shaft, means urging the intermeshing portions of said cutting disks together, a plurality of radially and axially ofiset members movably positioned in said first shaft, a series of wedge-shaped members located in said longitudinal bore, balls cooperating with said last named members and means for actuating said wedge-shaped members and thereby said balls so as to move said movable members to lock said cutting disks and said spacing means upon said first shaft.

WALTER MARKERT. 

